Don't spend hours looking for a really nice Christmas present for someone who obviously didn't spend a second thinking of something nice for you. (I know it's supposed to be all in the giving, but COME ON!)
NOTE TO ANONYMOUS FAMILY MEMBER: a calendar is a suckful 'present'. Edit: The calendar was for Stew and Me. I was upset about it as this person just does not seem to care one iota about us anymore. And that hurts. I am not an ungrateful person, but if you knew the background you would understand why I'm hurt. In hindsight maybe I should not have blogged this.
ABOVE: if you want your hydrangeas to be BLUE, you have to put sulphate of aluminium in the soil before they flower.
NOTE TO SELF: buy friggin sulphate of aluminium for next year.
ABOVE: if you don't want Griffin nagging you for days on end to set up the Playstation again, get Steve to do it for you.
NOTE TO SELF: well done on rearranging the lounge so he can play there in the corner and drive you nuts with the noise instead of nagging. (clearly I can't win)
TODAY: pack Brylee's bag... cos she's going to spend a few days with her Aunt Khady! And she can't wait.
Then Griffin and I will go and pick up our new house phones. Yipee!
NOTE TO SELF: what a great way to stop them bickering at each other!
ONWARD...
The morning went well. Brylee is very happy at her Aunts... she will not miss Griffin I think! lol
Griffin and I did a little shopping at Sylvia Park then came home to chill out for the afternoon.
We are expecting a visit from Lacy this afternoon. She wasn't going to come over when she heard Brylee wasn't here, but then I think she realised how that would look and changed her mind.
ABOVE: my Sister in Law just got a glass splash back for her kitchen. It's her colour to a 'T'. And she's wrapt with it.
I can't help but say it. When you arrive at your Mother's you don't just barge through the door, tell your friend "That's HER" and proceed up the stairs as if you don't even exist. No 'Hi Mum'. NOTHING but a dirty look.
I was SO MAD I almost told her to turn around and get out of my house.
But as she had made the effort to visit Griffin even though Brylee wasn't here, I let her stay.
If Stew had been home I am positive he would have kicked her out.
Now that I'm fuming I shall go and do some housework. I'll take it out on the washing!
*** PEPSI UPDATED, full 'Calendar Story' on it. PEPSI UPDATED ***
End of Day: well an eventful day.... some I knew was going to happen, and some I didn't know would. Had a nice dinner of chicken.... the guys went for a walk in the evening. I would have gone if I'd known BEFORE dinner that it was on the cards. I simply cannot walk on a full tummy. Makes me ill.
Maybe tomorrow?
nite nite
Find a pair of Wireless headphone. A godsend I tell you!
ReplyDeleteNothing wrong with a calendar....at least you got a present and to me it is all about giving..... and spending the day with loved ones, not about receiving a present. So accept it with gratitude, and I would say you would be hard to buy for as you always purchase what you want...... and on that note have a good day :) And yes if I got a calendar I would be really happy.
ReplyDeleteQuestion on the hydrangeas... are they still flowering in March? I want them for my wedding, and when I googled it, it said that in NZ they flower in Feb/March! But... I am seeing them everywhere at the moment, and am now worried that they wont be around when I want them! Make sense? Hehehehe....
ReplyDeleteYou probably don't want a science lesson but hydrangeas have pigments in their leaves which indicate pH. So if you have acidic soil they have pink flowers and if you soil is alkali they have blue flowers that is why you add the Aluminum sulphate. Lots of plants have these types of pigments.
ReplyDeleteAs for your "suckful" present... agree with Hippygal, some people are really hard to buy for like my mum. I actually don't buy her anything and ask her not to buy me anything - it's not that I don't love her, I get stressed and can't buy her anything and it is not about money as I would be prepared to spend a few hundred dollars if I knew it was what she wanted but the reality is our tastes are widely different and I just can't think what she would love.
I know that you probably didn't mean it to send so bad, but thats how it came across..... the joys of blogging :), but as you have edited this person does not seem to care about you and Stew anymore, so in all honesty did you really expect anymore then.... I know I wouldn't have expected anything. Families suck at time but thats life for some of us..... :)
ReplyDeleteWhen everything outside here is dead and brown, it's so nice to see such pretty hydrangeas ...thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI always ask for a Calender each year! I love a nice big calender for my kitchen. Nice that Braylee get to go for a nice visit! It's cheaper to buy Epson Salts. I put it on mine and my Japanese Maple every year. Depending on how much I put on, the Hydrangis are from pink to lavender to a few blue all on one bush. It's really pretty. ...debbie
ReplyDeleteHi Chris,
ReplyDeleteI am mixed about the present, not knowing the background. I can see it either way, and understand that you are not being simply materialistic but it has raised some issues for you. Likewise, I don't know what the calender is. I get David a Dilbert desktop every year and it is a tradition that he loves, quite different to a generic calender, for example. You spoke more about the effort involved than the present itself, to me anyway. But I will reserve judgement and you don't need to tell us any more unless you want to. Hope the visit with Lacy goes well and that you enjoy a peaceful few days!
Penny xo
And, I am going against consenus as saying that I completely understand your hurt about the calendar. Yes, I totally understand, because like me you give and give and it seems like one way traffic. A calendar is good present especially if it is a lovely one but it doesn't represent enough thought in your circumstances, a plant or a bottle of wine or a dinner voucher just a little extra thought.
ReplyDeleteI would like to write to you about my family situation Chris, I drowning my family and friends and I have to find a new outlet, but I think you already have enough crap of your own.
I have sent the lipsticks but I am worried you won't receive them in time.
Maggie Magpie
I can kind of understand what you mean about the calender, but maybe that person genuinely thought you would like it and chose it with you both in mind (unless it is a freebie they got from a client or customer of course). Some of those calenders are actually quite expensive too.
ReplyDeleteWith regards to Lacy - that is just plain rude! I would have been so tempted to tell her to either show some common good manners when visiting or she can turn around & leave again. That behaviour I am sure is not how she was brought up to behave and not acceptable when visiting ANYONE.
Be prepared for a backlash about Brylee not being there, I am sure you will be accused of deliberately sending Brylee away etc etc.
oh dear lots does come your way at times. I think Lacy has a lot of growing up to you, especially with all you guys have done for her, including bringing up HER children. Or does she forget that?
ReplyDeleteYou're a strong woman. You deserve to be treated better.
A calendar is a crap gift for a family member to get you. It just screams "I just don't care enough about you to make an effort!"
ReplyDeleteJust an FYI if you are planing on doing some boxing day shopping get to city chic early!! I,m currently working at the one in Albany, :)
One year we made calendars with our underwater photos, and put all our friends birthdays on it. I thought it was a pretty good gift.
ReplyDeleteI like seeing your pictures.
That's an awful thing to say about a gift someone has given you. It doesn't matter how much it costs, or even what it is, it's the thought that counts. This family member must have thought that it was a great gift, so accept and move on.
ReplyDeleteLast comment from MarkD60 really illustrates to me how tricky the calendar question is. Mark's calendar sounds really cool. On the other hand, generic, ordinary, not with any thought, says something, not I haven't thought of you but not about you, if that makes sense? There is a distinction to be made. If I gave my Mum or step / goddaughter, or best friend one, for example (which I have done), it would mean something to her, even if I wasn't in her city (in my BF's case, it was a Dirty Dancing calendar: we relive the '80s a bit too much!). Or, like my Dad did many times, he made an attempt at a present that made me see he thought I would like it, even if he was confused at times. Like an Olivia Newton John record. Not that I didn't like it, but he bought it and said to me, I saw on a whim passing a music store they had a $1 record deal, so I bought it knowing you like music (when I was 14). Does that make sense? Even though he was misguided a bit about my taste, I could see he had a thought, even if it was momentary. And even if it was cheap, I don't/didn't care. As long as the thought was there, and that's what I got from your post this morning Chris: you didn't see the thought. With the background Chris, it sounds a little different to me. Anyway, Penny stop ranting and go to bed. Love to all, Penny xo
ReplyDeleteChris, I'm just catching up on your posts. Your notes to self really cracked me up. Maybe not meant to be funny but so funny! I mentally write notes to self all the time.
ReplyDeleteA long time ago, a NZ guy I really liked gave me a NZ scenery calendar. I was like are you kidding me? I had given him a really nice shirt that made him look hot. Then I went thru' the calendar and saw that he had written sweet notes on certain dates on the calendar. It was so sweet. Um..did you flip thru the calendar to check for sweet notes?